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statement
TORONTO, July 5, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Restaurants Canada is urging the Restaurants Canada Association, the government and the striking workers to continue negotiating to reach a quick resolution and end the labour dispute.
The summer season is a critical time for restaurants and bars that rely on outdoor patio weather, tourists and sports fans to visit our establishments and support the local community and economy.
Ontario’s restaurants and bars rely on the LCBO as their primary supplier of wine and spirits, with alcohol sales accounting for a significant portion of their revenue. “Potential disruptions to the alcohol supply to our establishments could have significant impacts on our sector, especially at a time when operators are already facing many challenges,” said Chris Barnier, vice president of Central Canada at Restaurants Canada. “Many restaurants are still recovering from pandemic debt, and are now dealing with the double whammy of weak consumer spending coupled with operating cost pressures that have grown by more than 20% in the past two years alone,” said Barnier.
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As a major stakeholder in the province, Ontario’s bars and restaurants generate $44.5 billion in revenue each year and purchase $15.6 billion in food and beverages. There are more than 38,000 food service businesses in Ontario, directly employing approximately 445,000 people. A large portion, estimated at 14,000 locations, rely on alcohol sales — including products they purchase from the LCBO — as their primary source of revenue. This is in addition to the thousands of other businesses that rely on restaurants and bars as buyers of their goods and services.
We are in close contact with the Government and the City of London Council and will continue to call on them to take all possible action to ease the pressure on our sector, the jobs it provides and the communities it serves.
We are grateful to our customers for their understanding and continued support of the food service industry in Ontario. Our restaurants are open for business and we look forward to welcoming guests.
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